But rather than target the bullies, the school punished Grayson, telling him to leave his bag at home.

"Saying a lunchbox is a trigger for bullying is like saying a short skirt is a trigger for rape. It's flawed logic, it doesn't make any sense," said his mom, Noreen Bruce.

More than 16,000 people have liked a Facebook group called "Support for Grayson" and even right-wing pundit Glenn Beck has come to his defence.

In a statement, the school board said: "An initial step was taken to immediately address a situation that had created a disruption in the classroom. Buncombe County Schools takes bullying very seriously, and we will continue to take steps to resolve this issue."